Toyota International Teacher Program Sends U.S. Teachers to Costa Rica
Twenty U.S. teachers, chosen as educational ambassadors through the Toyota International Teacher Program, will spend 10 days this spring exploring Costa Rica -- the cultural and biological crossroads between North and South America.

Ranked among the 20 most biologically diverse countries in the world and home to more than a half million species of plants and animals, Costa Rica is a first-time destination for the Toyota program, which has an nine-year heritage of providing teachers the opportunity to build environmental awareness and global perspectives by visiting worldwide locations.

While traveling in Costa Rica, participants will learn how innovative strategies are being implemented in the areas of development, agronomy and conservation from experts at the internationally recognized National Biodiversity Institute (INBio).

After a visit to Costa Rica's National Museum, the teachers will build on their theoretical knowledge with field visits to important pre-Columbian archeological sites, and at EARTH University, the teachers will participate in projects focused on sustainable agriculture in the tropics. Near the city of San Carlos, the teachers will also have the opportunity to discuss best practices in environmental education with Costa Rican educators.

The delegation of 20 U.S. teachers represent nine states this year -- Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin. With multidisciplinary backgrounds ranging from science to art, the selected teachers will bring their unique perspectives to those they meet in Costa Rica, and upon the teachers' return to the U.S., their experiences will be incorporated into classroom curricula and community projects, providing students the kind of 21st century education they need for success in an increasingly global future.

"We are proud to offer the nation's teachers a program that promotes the understanding of cultural and environmental conservation methods that they can take back to their schools and communities," said Michael Rouse, corporate manager, philanthropy and community affairs at Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. "Costa Rica is the perfect destination, as it is a country on the forefront of protecting its ecosystems as well as maintaining its cultural heritage."

Funded through an annual us$1.2 million grant from TMS, the Toyota International Teacher Program is the only one of its kind sponsored by a major U.S. corporation.

This year's trip to Costa Rica will take place March 8 through 20 and will include rigorous physical activities as participants explore program locations in the country's lowlands and highlands.

Overall, the Toyota International Teacher Program has greatly surpassed expectations regarding long-term value and impact. Building on the original program design, the study tour to Costa Rica offers increased opportunities for American educators to build closer, ongoing relationships with the teachers and community leaders they meet due to the country's greater accessibility.

The 20 educators traveling to Costa Rica teach a variety of subjects and were selected based on their professional and leadership qualifications, as well as their plans to incorporate their experiences and research into their curriculum. To be eligible, teachers must be a U.S. citizen, employed full-time as a secondary classroom teacher (grades 7-12) and have a minimum of three years teaching experience.

The trip to Costa Rica is just one of the professional development programs for teachers that Toyota sponsors. Toyota is also offering study visits to Japan and the Galapagos Islands in 2007.

The Toyota program strives to expose educators of all classroom disciplines to the diversity of peoples and ecosystems worldwide in an effort to inspire the creative teaching of international, cultural and environmental themes in U.S. schools and communities.

Founded in 1957, TMS is the sales, marketing, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,415 dealers in 49 states.